What does it really take to unlearn a street-made identity and rebuild a life that lifts others? We sit down with Andre Dotson—once a teen hustler in East Cleveland, now an apostle, youth mentor, CCW instructor, and mayoral candidate—to trace the choices, influences, and turning points that shaped his transformation. The story is raw and unvarnished: early drinking at 11, hustling at 12, juvenile life by 14, and the gravitational pull of fast money even after release. Andre credits grace for keeping him out of prison—but he also names the daily discipline and the adults who finally modeled a better way.

We dig into the mechanics of influence: how so-called OGs can either funnel kids toward danger or shield them with real opportunity. Andre breaks down why kids crave structure, not chaos, and how consistent boundaries create safety where posturing and peer pressure once ruled. From late-night parties that spiral to violence, to small moments where a mentor shows a teen how to start an LLC instead of carrying a pack, the pattern is the same: environment teaches. We explore youth programs that carve out hours of safety, feed kids, and normalize accountability, and we share a practical framework for teaching consequences without shaming—so a flipped desk becomes a lesson in cause and effect, not a scarlet letter.

Parents get a straight answer too: raise your child, don’t be their friend. Love includes the courage to say no, enforce limits, and build habits that outlast the moment. Andre’s idea of being “powerfully broken” reframes pain as a doorway—something has to end for something stronger to rise. If you’re a parent, educator, mentor, or community leader searching for tools to keep kids safe and growing, you’ll find a blueprint here: consistent boundaries, safe spaces, real-world skills, and adults who mean what they say. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—what boundary are you recommitting to today?

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

What does it take to turn a twelve-year-old drug dealer into a community father who keeps kids safe and seen? Andre Dotson joins us to unpack the hard choices, small mercies, and steady mentorship that carried him from East Cleveland’s street economy to a life spent building structure, courage, and opportunity for the next generation. No gloss, no shortcuts—just the real mechanics of prevention: boundaries that hold, programs that protect, and adults who keep their word.

We open with Andre’s early exposure to alcohol, gangs, and fast money, and how juvenile time sharpened his focus without hardening his heart. He lays out a simple code for parents and mentors: say what you mean, mean what you say, and replace bad options with better ones. From teaching kids how to start an LLC to offering a safe room with food and accountability, Andre shows how “real OGs” redirect energy instead of exploiting it. Along the way, we talk about risky parties, late-night decisions, and how a consistent “no” can save a life when attention and affirmation are on the line.

If you care about youth violence prevention, fatherhood, mental health, and building safer neighborhoods, this conversation is a blueprint. You’ll hear practical steps for creating safe spaces, setting consequences that stick, and having honest talks about sex, money, relationships, and anger—starting in elementary school. Andre shares where to connect with him and how his work through Civilians Against Violence helps kids be themselves without the mask. Subscribe, share with a parent or mentor, and leave a review with the one boundary that changed your life—your story might become someone else’s turning point.

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

In this powerful Season 2 episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast, host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with Ateira Ashley—mother, wife, cheer coach, and AKA—to unpack the real blueprint for long-term, healthy relationships.

Together, they discuss:

• Why friendship first matters more than chemistry
• How faith, family, and maturity sustain marriage through hard seasons
• Letting go of unrealistic expectations and embracing growth
• Why “80–90% love” beats chasing a mythical 100% partner
• The importance of dating your spouse, even with kids and busy schedules
• Keeping outsiders—family, friends, even children—out of marital conflict
• How to “divorce old mindsets” to become a better partner

This episode is for anyone who wants lasting love, whether you’re married, divorced, dating, or healing. Marriage isn’t about never wanting to leave—it’s about choosing to stay with wisdom, grace, and intention.

✨ You were not broken to be hurt.
✨ You were broken to unleash the power within.

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

When comfort starts costing you more than change, it’s time to move. We sit down with Dania, a mentor to founders and a master connector, to unpack the real signals that tell you to quit the job, bet on yourself, and build a business that can breathe. From the first manual that launched her company to turning bottlenecks into revenue, she lays out a grounded path: generate cash, hire the right people, and let systems carry the weight you shouldn’t.

We trade hustle myths for practical mechanics. Dania explains how to fund a first hire without gambling the house, why follow-up quietly prints money, and how “get 100 nos” training rewires the fear that keeps owners stuck. We dig into boundaries with clients and friends, the three-strike rule for repeated complaints, and the difference between problem-solving and unpaid emotional labor. If you’ve felt like a therapist at the gym or the default fixer at work, this conversation offers language and lines that protect your time, money, and mind.

Mental health takes center stage too. Movement isn’t a side note; it’s a system. Gym sessions and line dancing become bilateral resets that lower cortisol, sharpen choices, and keep the business from absorbing every emotion. That steadiness fuels clearer hiring, braver outreach, and better leadership. We close with a strong definition of being powerfully broken: aware of what hurt you, no longer ruled by it, and focused on outcomes that honor your future.

If you’re overworked, underpaid, and ready to leap with intention, this one’s for you. Tap play, share it with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review with the one bottleneck you’re fixing this week.

Work with Dania Christian

🖥️ Website: www.anr3consulting.com

📞 Business Line: 234-205-1902
📱 Social: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube — Dania Christian

Powerfully Broken Podcast

🎙️ Follow @powerfullybroken & @queenblparker
📘 Book: A Powerful Divorce
🌐 bfempowerment.com/pbp

Support the show

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

What if the thing that tried to break you became the reason you lead with more courage, clarity, and care? We sit down with cheer coach and mentor Atira Ashley to trace the path from wrongful termination to a faith-fueled mission that’s raising confident girls and stronger communities—one routine, one voice, one choice at a time.

Atira opens up about the weight of travel, finances, and uncertainty, and how obedience shifted everything. We explore how HBCU culture and the Stop and Shake style shaped her program’s heartbeat: teaching girls to own their voice, stand tall under pressure, and find belonging through movement and mentorship. The conversation goes deep on mental health—how to breathe through the whirlpool days, set honest goals, and build boundaries that protect joy. We unpack marriage as a true partnership, push back on social media perfection, and talk about the quiet heroism of showing up when no one is watching.

You’ll hear how a single word of encouragement can change a life, why alignment beats hustle, and how legacy grows when we pour from a full cup. Atira also shares how to connect for one-on-ones, group trainings, and consulting as she scales her impact. If you’ve been overgiving, second-guessing, or scrolling for answers, this is your nudge to reset and choose what matters most: faith, intention, and community that speaks life.

If this conversation moved you, subscribe and share it with a friend who needs encouragement today. Leave a review to help more listeners find these stories of resilience, leadership, and mental health grounded in purpose.

Support the show

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

What does it take to turn a life once steeped in chaos into a business that bottles peace for others to taste? We sit down with Kitten, founder and CEO of Nelijah One Winery in Akron, Ohio, to unpack how a love of wine, a tough health diagnosis, and a very blunt $300 receipt pushed her to create a low-sulfite, no-hangover wine brand that puts wellbeing first. It’s a story about resilience, flavor, and family—told with laughter, candor, and a few pairing tips you’ll want to save.

Kitten walks us through the earliest experiments, from messy fruit batches and stubborn yeast to a smarter approach with quality grape juice that kept the taste high and the sulfites low. Lupus shaped the process and, in turn, improved the product for everyone who struggles with headaches, heartburn, or next-day fog. We explore ports, ABV awareness, and why dessert wines sing alongside chocolate and cheese. Along the way, seasonal favorites like Black Forest and Caramel Moscato show how scarcity and craft can build real community and demand.

At the heart of it all is legacy. The wines are named after grandkids, and production is a family affair—hair nets, stirring paddles, day-14 transfers, and pride. When flares hit, the kids step in, learning process, patience, and ownership. That same spirit extends to a haircare line inspired by chemo recovery, creating space for the granddaughters to see themselves in the brand. We also talk openly about alcohol as coping: how a beloved bottle can become a quiet signal to check in on ourselves, our receipts, and our rituals.

If you care about health-conscious wine, smarter sipping, and building a business that outlives the founder, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical steps. Taste the difference at thatwine.me or text 330-459-9090, then tell us your favorite flavor. If this story moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find their own path from chaos to calm.

Support the show

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

Your home is your nervous system. Realtor & creator Diahnna Curtis shows how to set energy boundaries, ditch chaotic relationships, and use small DIYs to turn any space into a calming, beautiful refuge—without big money.

What you’ll learn

• Energy hygiene: placing people at the right “distance” without drama
• Scent & sound therapy at home (lavender, woodsmoke, ritual cues)
• Budget-friendly DIYs that actually change how your space feels
• Project cadence: start tiny → stack wins → maintain momentum
• Raising creators: modeling grit so kids become fearless makers

What if the bravest renovation is the one you make to your life? We sit down with Diahnna Curtis—realtor, creativity maven, and president of a historic minority real estate trade chapter—to trace a journey from misaligned marriage to solo homeownership, from chaos to calm, and from projects as chores to projects as therapy. This is a story about choosing your climate on purpose: if one of you wants Canada and the other craves Mexico, wish each other well and pack accordingly.

We dig into the art of the graceful exit: no fireworks, no speeches, just a firm boundary that keeps your mind clear and your spirit light. Diahnna shares how she protects her peace—blocking harmful messages, refusing to host secrets in her spirit, and measuring relationships by equilibrium: do the perks outweigh the costs emotionally, mentally, and financially? When the math doesn’t math, she steps back with love. That same clarity powers her home life, where small, consistent DIY wins—an accent wall, shelves, a refreshed mantel, the steady anchor of lavender—turn rooms into refuge.

You’ll also hear how leadership can crowd a house with banners and gear, and how reset rituals—leaving for a night, returning with fresh eyes—restore order. Diahnna’s hands-on grit became a family language; her daughters now tackle renovations with the same courage, proving that resilience is learned by doing. Expect practical takeaways: start tiny, embrace imperfect first attempts, and design spaces that hold you when the world gets loud. Expect heart, too: you can love someone and still choose distance; you can be powerful and still need rest.

If you’re ready to trade draining habits for healthy boundaries and transform your home into a sanctuary, this conversation is your blueprint. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs calm more than clutter, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your peace is worth the work.

Support the show

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.

There’s a reason Black wealth is projected to hit near-zero for too many families. Realtor leader Diahnna Curtis (President, Akron Realtist) breaks down how our homes are lost to probate, Medicaid estate recovery, and bad planning—and exactly how to protect them.

What you’ll learn

Why approvals ≠ closings: the hidden drop-off for minority buyers

The wealth math of homeownership (leverage, stability, legacy)

Probate vs. Trusts vs. Survivorship deeds — which keeps the house in the family

How Medicaid’s 5-year lookback can claw back the home—and what to do before crisis

Practical help: grants for inspection/appraisal, scholarships into real estate careers, and vetted pros

Ever wonder why so many approved buyers still lose their homes days before closing? We unpack that frustrating cliff edge and connect it to a bigger mission: building minority wealth through sustainable homeownership, smarter financing, and estate planning that actually protects families. Our guest, Diahnna Curtis—president of the Akron Realtist Association and a seasoned realtor—brings the blend of creativity, grit, and practical know‑how that turns raw circumstances into stable futures.

We start with the personal: how divorce and tight budgets can spark the creativity to DIY, save, and learn the real estate game from the studs. From there, we go wide—examining the minority homeownership gap, why women are carrying more approvals than men, and what the SHIBA report reveals about a troubling wealth forecast. Diahnna explains the late‑stage hurdles that derail closings, including appraisal gaps, thin reserves for surprise costs, and underwriting shifts that punish buyers with limited credit histories. Together, we propose tangible fixes: scholarships to bring more minorities into real estate careers, funds that cover inspections and appraisals, and a community network of lenders, appraisers, and inspectors committed to fair outcomes.

Then we double down on wealth preservation. Too many elders lose homes to Medicaid’s five‑year lookback or see properties trapped in probate for a year while taxes and repairs pile up. We walk through practical tools—living trusts, transfer on death and survivorship deeds—and the hard but necessary family conversations that assign responsibilities early and keep property in the bloodline. Diahnna shares the emotional reality of selling a parent’s home and how to balance memories with stewardship, so care decisions and financial decisions serve both dignity and long‑term stability.

If you care about generational wealth, neighborhood health, and giving kids a foundation stronger than circumstance, this conversation is your field guide. Subscribe, share with someone planning to buy or protect a family home, and leave a review with your biggest question about closing the deal or setting up a trust—we’ll tackle it in a future episode.

Support the show

Shop: www.bfempowerment.com/shop

Follow: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker | bfempowerment.com/pbp
Book: A Powerful Divorce
Therapy: BF Empowerment Center 526 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44311

Watch Powerfully Broken Podcast airing on Fridays at 9am.